Physics research with Professor Greg Lyzenga ’75
Biology research with Professor Jae Hur
Alumni Help Amplify an Important Area: Summer Research
While experiential learning comes in many forms at Harvey Mudd, it finds its locus in the research opportunities our students undertake with faculty during summer. Opportunities occur across all departments and involve nearly 200 students working directly with faculty on current, relevant research. However, because grant funding for faculty/student research fluctuates, being able to offer opportunities for all interested and capable students has been challenging. That’s why a top fundraising priority for The Campaign for Harvey Mudd College is to increase permanent funding for the Summer Research Program. Thankfully, our alumni know firsthand the value of these experiences and have chosen to invest in this powerful element of a Harvey Mudd education. As an example, two current trustees of the College, Mike Angiulo ’93 and Michael Schubmehl ’02, each generously created permanent, named endowments that provide perpetual support to students and faculty engaged in the College’s Summer Research Program. In 2015, engineering alumnus Mike Angiulo and his wife, Sarah, established the Angiulo Family Summer Research Endowment, used annually to support experiential learning for Harvey Mudd students engaging in summer research. A 23-year veteran of Microsoft who started as an intern, Angiulo has held numerous executive roles and is currently the corporate vice president, Microsoft Office. He says early research opportunities like the ones provided through the Angiulo Endowment
instill a versatile approach to problem solving— something that enabled his own career. “Part of the Mudd magic is nurturing a generation of scientists and engineers within the context of the humanities and the practical world,” says Angiulo. “That’s what makes Mudders so impactful. Experiences like summer research are essential to developing leaders who understand both the ‘how’ of research and why it matters. This experiential learning shouldn’t have to end in the spring.” Michael Schubmehl ’02 and his wife, Stephanie, created the Tom Donnelly Summer Experiential Learning Fund to provide a new generation of students with opportunities to tackle and solve open problems early in their academic careers. The fund is named in honor of physics Professor Tom Donnelly, in whose lab Schubmehl worked to produce and measure micron-scale water droplets for use in laser fusion experiments. It’s a surprisingly common background for researchers at Jump Trading, where Schubmehl now develops quantitative trading strategies. He has worked to strengthen Mudd’s relationship with the industry by serving as a Clinic liaison, delivering guest lectures and recruiting on campus, focusing especially on students with research experience. “The challenges of research go beyond hard problem sets and exams,” says Schubmehl. “Leaders in academia and industry have to ask good questions and work with colleagues to find
ways to answer them. They test their ideas against reality, refine them and present clear results to their peers. Summer research offers Mudd students an exceptional chance to hone those skills early and showcase them for employers and grad schools.” Experiential learning is in our DNA. Thanks to generous support from many individuals, foundations and corporations, summer research will continue to be a cornerstone of the Harvey Mudd experience. And with additional permanent funding—like that provided by our alumni—we can help guarantee that opportunities for summer research continue. To find out how you can personally invest in the future of experiential learning at Harvey Mudd College, contact Dan Macaluso, vice president for advancement, at 909.621.8335 or dan_macaluso@hmc.edu.
is on a mission
THE CAMPAIGN FOR HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE
The world needs Harvey Mudd. And Harvey Mudd needs you. hmc.edu/campaign/how-to-give/annual-mudd-fundd